Targa wrongly blamed for disruption

Please allow me the opportunity to respond to Terry Alexander’s comments made in his letter to the editor dated Sept. 28, entitled “Targa — it’s more trouble than it’s worth.”

During the running of Targa Newfoundland, we were not at any time in the area of the Village Shopping Centre. Targa was hosted this year by the communities of the Northeast Avalon at their marvelous new area facility, the Jack Byrne Arena in Torbay. During that time our cars were in the arena at the afternoon and evening car shows or, on Sunday, in the Flatrock and Torbay areas.

Targa by policy, maintains a strict code of quiet — in fact, rerouting its official start to avoid disturbing the Battle of Britain services at the War Memorial on Sunday.

Targa Newfoundland does not benefit from municipal or provincial funding of any kind.

Targa Newfoundland leases emergency vehicles for each of its stages; however these vehicles are available to the community should a need occur.

Targa’s named charity is the Autism Society of Newfoundland and Labrador (ASNL). In the past four years we have directly raised $300,000 for the society and created the Targa Newfoundland Technical Centres that support five autism educational facilities in the province. Targa certainly has worth to all those affected by autism.

In addition to the ASNL contributions, Targa, since its first event in 2002, has donated over $1.2 million to other charities including, but not limited to, Easter Seals and multiple sclerosis.

We can sympathize with Mr. Alexander’s distress over the prolonged disturbance in his neighbourhood. However, we can assure him that the disturbance was not a result of anything pertaining to the Targa Newfoundland event.

If, in fact, CBC advised Mr. Alexander of our involvement, then they were clearly misinformed.